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Mechanicsburg Area High School

Chapter

Weather Satillites

Before a few decades ago the weather could only be predicted in the near future. Storms would only be predicted a few hours before they struck which affecting many people. Now scientists can predict the weather up to a few weeks with great accuracy. This accuracy grew majorly when weather satillites were launched, now scientists can view world wide weather. They use both visable and infrared ?light to determine the characteristics of the formation of clouds. The weather is the predicted due to the change in the cloud formations. From above the earth the clouds are much more visably different and easier to interpert. The layman can observe direction, size and speed of a system. But only the specialist can determine their power, temperature,altitude and humidity.

Cartography

Did you know?
Because of their mobile postion the first satellites could only record one area twice a day, but passed each pole 14.4 times a day.

Weather Satellites

    The first satillite sent into space was the TIROS 1. The abbreviation stands for Television and InfraRed Obersercvation Satillite. The TRIOS program consisted of ten satillites and ran for eight years. The TRIOS orbited at a low altitude of 250 to about 1,000 miles, but because of this they had high resolution but only a small area. They covered anywhere from 625 to 1,875 miles width at once.
     For this reason Geostationary Satillites were created, which orbit at a altitude of 22,400 miles above the equator. Scince they were so high up they can observe two thirds of the whole earth all at once. The only problem is the resolution is not as high as the lower orbiting satillites. But one advanage besides a larger picture is that the geostationary satillites can stay in contact with ground control.
     These satillites are also doing much more than just looking at the clouds. They also monitor pollution of the seas and land, ocean currents, size of glaciers and documenting forest fires.